While campaigning for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders said he and Clinton believe that minimum wage should be raised to a “living wage,” on Wed. Oct. 5, 2016, in Des Moines.
Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s indictment detailing the Russian social media campaign to aid Donald Trump, undermine Hillary Clinton and sow distrust in American politics describes behavior that aides to Bernie Sanders witnessed firsthand in the waning weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign, the senator said Tuesday.

In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Sanders described how an aide handling his social media accounts noticed an uptick in “horrific and ugly things” directed at Clinton beginning around September 2016 — long after the Democratic nomination had been decided, and while Sanders himself was traveling the country campaigning on her behalf.

“In many respects, what Mueller’s report tells us is not new to us,” Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, said. “We knew that they were trying to sow division within the American people. In my case, it was to tell Bernie supporters that Hillary Clinton is a criminal, that Hillary Clinton is crazy, that Hillary Clinton is sick — terrible, terrible ugly stuff — and to have Bernie Sanders supporters either vote for Trump or Jill Stein or not vote at all.”

Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Buy Photo

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders pumps his fist as he speaks to supporters during the putting Families First forum at First Christian Church on Friday, Jan. 9, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders kisses Kishia Saffold of Dothan, Alabama, after she told a personal story during the putting Families First forum at First Christian Church on Friday, Jan. 9, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

Supporters greet Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders as he makes his way to an overflow room with more supporters Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015 following a speech during the New Year's Eve with Bernie event at the Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel in downtown Des Moines. Michael Zamora/The Register

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, currently running for U.S. president as a democrat, poses for a selfie with supporters at his campaign office on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Waterloo, Iowa. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, currently running for U.S. president as a democrat, spoke to supporters during a Sunday church service at the Mount Carmel Baptist Church on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Waterloo, Iowa. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, currently running for U.S. president as a democrat, greeted supporters after speaking at a Sunday church service at the Mount Carmel Baptist Church on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Waterloo, Iowa. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greet the audience before the Democratic presidential debate Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, in Des Moines, Iowa, at Sheslow Auditorium on the campus of Drake University. Rodney White/The Register

Presidential hopeful, Bernie Sanders holds a caregiver roundtable discussion about the issues Iowans who are primary care givers for their loved ones who are sick or disabled, on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, at the Central Presbyterian Church in Des Moines. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Presidential hopeful, Bernie Sanders holds a caregiver roundtable discussion about the issues Iowans who are primary care givers for their loved ones who are sick or disabled, on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, at the Central Presbyterian Church in Des Moines. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Sanders, who ran for president as a Democrat in 2016, described the situation in response to a question about his impression of the indictment released Friday by Mueller, the special counsel investing Russian election meddling and possible collusion with aides to President Donald Trump.

Sanders on Tuesday said his campaign did press immediately after the caucuses for the Iowa Democratic Party to release the raw vote totals showing participants’ candidate preferences. But he never alleged or believed the Clinton campaign had committed fraud.

“There was never, ever, ever any suggestion that Hillary Clinton quote-unquote stole the election,” Sanders said. “We ended up with almost the same amount of delegates as Clinton from Iowa and we felt very good about that race.”

Sanders offered steps he said the U.S. should pursue in response to the mounting evidence of Russian interference in 2016 and the potential for further meddling in the 2018 election.

In the absence of strong action from Trump, Sanders said, Congress must outline “strong repercussions” awaiting Russia if the country attempts similar tactics in 2018.

“We should lay out those repercussions to make it clear that there will be sanctions far more severe than what has already been passed,” Sanders said. “They’ve got to know that we regard this cyberwarfare against the most important aspect of American life, our democracy, as something that is very, very serious.”

Additionally, Sanders said, the federal government should provide additional election security resources to states and hold internet platforms like Facebook and Twitter accountable if they’re again used by hostile foreign powers to disrupt elections.